By Anora Mahmudova, MarketWatch
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. stock market edged cautiously
higher as investors assessed disappointing quarterly results from
Campbell Soup Co. and deal news including AstraZeneca's rejection
of a $120 billion bid by Pfizer Inc.
In the absence of economic news, investors will pay attention to
two Fed speakers later on Monday. Dallas Fed President Richard
Fisher, a voting member of the Fed policy committee, and San
Francisco Fed President John Williams, a nonvoting member, will
speak at a panel in Dallas hosted by former President George W.
Bush and his institute at 12:10 p.m. Eastern time.
The S&P 500 index (SPX) was up 2 points, or 0.1%, at
1,879.99. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was trading 22
points, or 0.1%, lower at 16,469.13. The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF)
added 12 points, or 0.3%, to 4,101.90.
Follow MarketWatch's live blog of today's stock-market
action.
In corporate news, Campbell Soup (CPB) shares stumbled 3.7% as
weak soup sales led to the company cutting its full-year
forecast.
Shares of AT&T (T) fell 1.9% after the telecom giant agreed
to buy satellite-television provider DirecTV (DTV) in a
stock-and-cash deal worth $67.1 billion, including debt. DirecTV
shares also fell 2%.
Google Inc.'s (GOOG) YouTube unit has reached a deal to buy
Twitch, a privately held video-streaming service for gamers, for
more than $1 billion, according to a report Sunday in Variety,
which cited "sources familiar with the pact." Shares in Google were
unchanged.
U.S.-listed shares of AstraZeneca (AZN) dropped 10% after the
drug maker again rebuffed Pfizer's "final" offer of GBP55 a share
($89.96) saying it undervalues the company. The offer values
AstraZeneca at about $120 billion, while the previous offer of
GBP50-a-share put the deal at about $106 billion. Pfizer (PFE)
shares were up 1.7%.
Apparel and accessories retailer Urban Outfitters (URBN) is
scheduled to report first-quarter earnings results late Monday. The
company projected to report earnings of 27 cents a share, according
to a consensus survey by FactSet.
Asian market fall, gold recaptures the $1,300 level
Asian shares fell, with Shanghai stocks hit following a report
that China's property prices are showing further signs of a
slowdown amid government curbs. In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 was
weighed in part by a nearly 13% slide in AstraZeneca shares traded
in London.
Among commodities, gold futures rose $8.7 to (GCM4) recapture
the $1,300-an-ounce level as stocks weakened. Crude oil (CLM4) rose
79 cents to $102.37 a barrel, and the ICE dollar index (DXY) fell
to 79.925 from 80.08 late Friday.
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